Wednesday, 28 July 2010

Totally exhausted - well that's what taking a 6 year old and a 12 year old on holiday will do!!! as well as arriving home at 5am this morning. I do have a nice tan despite using Factor 50 suncream though - I don't think I've ever spent so much time imersed in water, the boys so loved being in the pool and on the beach :o) think I must have spent an average of 5 hours a day in the water! I think if we'd been there any longer I was in danger of growing webbed feet and gills!!!!

I'm so pleased to see that all the scheduled posts I left before I went on my hols have published at the right time and have given you all something to see while I was away. I guess it will be back to 'real' life again now so you can expect to see a few more projects posted up on here in the next few days. It was nice to get away but I did miss my crafting - does that make me a sad person? LOL

Tuesday, 27 July 2010

I've been an awfully good girl... Santa Baby..... well that's how the song goes and you don't expect to hear it at this time of year !!! Well, the theme for the I ♥ Promarkers challenge #25 this week is 'Christmas in July' so I haven't gone completely mad!!! The Sponsor of this week's prize is Digi Doodle Shops Best, so what are you waiting for, dig out all those chrimbo stamps and papers and get crafting! At least you'll have one less christmas card to make later in the year.

Another reason for starting today with this little christmas song is that the cute image I used on my card is called 'Santa Baby' and is available on the Digi Doodle Shops Best store if you'd like to get it yourself.

He's coloured with Promarkers, of course, and the holly wreath, holly leaves and berries and Poinsetia flowers are all cut using Marianne Designs dies. I do love easel cards, especially for christmas cards as they tend to be left out on display for longer than other cards and really make a room look festive. The background papers were from my stash and the foiled vellum has been hanging around in my stash for some time waiting to be used.

I hope you will enter the challenge this week and I look forward to visiting your blogs to check out your creations.

Monday, 26 July 2010

Every Tuesday I showcase one of my projects using Queen Kat Designs stamps on the Whimsical Ink Sorority blog as part of the Royal Court weekly blog hop. I also like to share my projects on here for my regular visitors to see. If you'd like to do the hop just start here and follow the links.

The last week of each month the DT are usually given an inspirational picture to work with - this month we are doing things a little differently. We've been asked to go off and seek our own inspiration and to share what we found with you.

For some reason I'm a bit obsessed by cupcakes at the moment!! Oh my poor hips!! I found this fabby picture in one of the grocery store magazines and I just loved it. It certainly inspired the project I am sharing with you today.

I love the cupcakes - of course - but I also like the cake stand with it's scalloped layers. These scalloped layers and the delicious pastel colours in the picture were what turned on the 'switch' in my head and my design was born!

The June QKD WIS kit is most definitely my favourite monthly kit to date, I just love everything about it and I especially love the amused expression on Cupcake's face and the yummy cupcake she is sitting on. The "you're how old ?" sentiment just makes me smile and I can see me using this over and over again when making cards for my friends and family! This perfect background paper was from the Sweet Nothings 6x6 paper pack by Papermania and I took my colour theme from the paper.

I wanted to reproduce the scalloped layers of the cake stand that's in my inspirational picture and used some scallop circle nestabilities to cut out layers in various shades of pink. After cutting them out I embossed them in my Cuttlebug with this sweet little hearts embossing folder before layering them up.

Cupcake was coloured with Copics and Promarkers, with small touches of Spica Glitter Pen added as highlights. The lacy border at the bottom was cut with a Martha Stewart border punch and the flowers punched with another MS punch and gems added in the centre of each one. I attached them with Pin Flair glue before tucking the sentiment in behind.

That's all from me today folks, I hope you've enjoyed your visit today, do come back soon I love to see you - til then Happy Crafting !

Tuesday, 20 July 2010

Buttons...buttons...buttons.... that's what we'd like you to use on your projects for this week's I ♥ Promarkers challenge, no sketch or theme this week, just make sure you've added buttons somewhere on your project - the rest is up to you, let your imagination run wild! This week the prize is sponsored by Simon Says Stamp, I hope you'll join us and submit an entry.

For my card I used a luscious spellbinders shapeabilities frame die with some dark blue card to create a frame. I cut a second frame from a lighter blue card and used the centre cut out piece inside the darker frame as the mat on which to stamp the sentiment. The cotton reel and buttons images are from the Messy Rabbit Village Shop stamp set by Joanna Sheen which I coloured with Promarkers, then added Glossy Accents to the buttons. The base layer background paper is from the Aqua paper pack from the Papermania capsule collection.

I look forward to seeing your designs and projects this week, just add a link on the blog for a chance to win this week's prize.

Monday, 19 July 2010

Happy Tuesday morning to you, I hope you have a nice day planned ! As it's Tuesday it's time for this week's Queen Kat Designs Blog Hop. If you'd like to join in with the Hop you should start here so you don't miss the fabulousness that's on show today - all of it created by the very talented members of the Design Team to share with you.

This week we were asked to use the colour combo Red, White and Blue on our projects. If you hopped with us last week you will know that one of my fav shapes at the moment is the star, I couldn't help myself again this week as this colour combo just makes me think of stars - red, white and blue, stars and stripes - you get the picture!!

Rather than using one of the gorgeous Mermaid stamps I love to work with, I decided to take one element from the June WIS kit and use this as my main image. The June kit included this delightful cupcake stamp which I stamped up three times and coloured with Promarkers before cutting out and adding to stars cut with a set of nestabilities dies. The stripes were formed by using a Martha Stewart border punch and layering the different coloured card. I used one of the new Happy Stixx that the Queen is now stocking in the Store and this 'Thank You' sentiment just seemed to fit my card perfectly. Before attaching the star to the top, I wrapped some red raffia that I had in my stash around the stick and tied it in a bow.

That's it from me, I hope you've enjoyed viewing today's project, do come back soon I love sharing my projects with you !

Tuesday, 13 July 2010

Today's card is my DT project for this week's I ♥ Promarkers Challenge #23. This week the prize is sponsored by I Did it Creations and we have a great sketch to work with. Check out the challenge blog here for all the details. I hope you'll enter this week, I love to visit the blogs of the entrants and check out all their fantastic creations.

For my card I decided to use this adorable puppy image from I Did it Creations. It reminds me of my lovely little dog Tilly - she is a real Princess and loves to drape herself on a cushion like this!

I created a background on the base card using some pale pink chalk ink and a small paw print stamp that I have had in my stamp stash forever! - I apologise but I don't know the manufacturer. The image is coloured with Promarkers and Glossy Accents added to the flowers, headband and the dog's eyes, nose and tongue. All the circular layers - both plain and scalloped - were cut with various nestabilities dies and I also embossed two of the layers in my cuttlebug with embossing folders.

The lacy heart border was cut using a Martha Stewart border punch and the pink ribbon was in my stash. Finally, I printed the Puppy Love sentiment on my PC and added Stardust Stickles around the edges of all the circular layers and around the sentiment.

Monday, 12 July 2010

Good morning! It's Tuesday so it's time to hop with the Queen Kat DT. If you'd like to do the whole hop just start here and follow the links.

My choice of stamp for this week is the gorgeous Tilly Mermaid, she really is the 'Star' of the 'Show' ! I coloured Tilly in shades of purple and grey which work perfectly with this groovy retro background paper I had in my stash, using Copics and Promarkers with Clear Spica Glitter pen on her hair and tail - although this just isn't showing up on the pic, sadly. I had this yummy purple metallic card in my stash and the mat finish silver card which I cut out using a set of star shaped nestabilities dies. I used another of the fabulous Happy Stixx on my layout, cutting it short and colouring with a pale grey Promarker before attaching a small silver star cut with another of the nestie dies - the sentiment was just perfect for my project, Tilly really is a Lucky Star!

Thursday, 8 July 2010

Morning Peeps!! Hope you are well and that the sun is shining on you today !

How could you resist giving this little chap a hug (or three!), he is so adorable and is a hAnglar & stAnglar stamp which I coloured with Promarkers and Copics. I followed the sketch on the Let's Get Stamping challenge this week on Craftbubble, which also asks us to use blue on our projects. The luscious background papers are from the DCWV Nanna's Kitchen paper pad I bought recently on sale from Dunelm - I love these amazing papers!

The Hug vouchers and sentiment were stamped using a Studio G stamp set and I'm sure I'll be using this set a lot in the future. The flower was created with the free flower stamp on this month's Craft Stamper magazine, which I stamped on to some red patterned paper. I added a small blue button (which appears red in the pic!!) through which I'd tied a length of thread coloured with a Promarker to match the colour theme. The pretty edge to the vertical layer was cut with a Martha Stewart border punch.

Thanks for visiting today, it's great to see you and I love sharing my projects with you.

Tuesday, 6 July 2010

This week on I ♥ Promarkers Challenge #22 we are asked to use distressing techniques on our projects. All distressing techniques can be used and layout and colours are a matter of choice, but Promarkers must be used and your entry must be a new project, not one which has been created previously, although it is quite OK to enter more than one challenge with the same project. This week's prize is sponsored by Joanna Sheen.

For my DT project I decided to create a small 'pizza-style' box (there's a tutorial for this on the Scor-Pal projects website). I used this lovely rose stamp by Magnolia, stamping it three times, cutting out and layering up to create my main image. I created a layer by stamping the rose image randomly over a piece of white card which had been first distressed with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Fired Brick. I also stamped the main rose images with the same DI before colouring with Promarkers. The gold edges were created using UTEE heated for a short time with a heat gun until it became 'bobbly' but not so long that it was smooth. The lace and button were from my stash and the beautiful pins were part of a prize I won recently and were created by Karen, a fellow DT member - check out her blog for details if you'd like to get hold of some yourself! Finally I added a little Star Dust Stickles to the edges of the rose petals to add a little bling. I have recenlty made some bead bracelets and I shall put one of them into this box as a gift for a friend who's birthday is coming up soon.

I hope you'll submit an entry for Challenge #22 this week, you've got nothing to lose and a prize from Joanna Sheen to win! What are you waiting for? Do check out the other DT project here, there are some fabulous projects to inspire you.

Monday, 5 July 2010

Hi there, so nice to have you drop by today, if you wondered where the QKD monday blog hop had gone to yesterday, let me tell you that there are fantastic changes going on in the Castle! The Queen has decided to pull the whole DT together for one big and fabulous hop each week and these will take place on tuesdays from now on. As always, the hops begin on the QKD blog so if you'd like to hop along this week just start here and follow the links.

I wanted to use some nice bold colours, which I thought would work well with the layout, so decided on an Orange, Blue and Black combination. These luscious background papers were in my stash and are from the Taj Mahal collection by DCWV and absolutely perfect for my project today.

As there are so many new and exciting things going on in the Castle right now - there are no new stamp releases this month, so we are pulling out some of our favourite stamps which have been around for a while. My choice is The Guardian Mermaid - I just love that Grecian style pillar in the background and her feline companion sitting with her in the garden. She's coloured in shades of blue and orange with Copics and Promarkers and with touches of Spica Glitter pen added here and there, particularly on her lovely beads.

I love the contrast of the bright orange ribbon against the blue background and the scalloped edge finishes off the blue layer nicely - the edge was punched with the Fiskars Threading Water border punch. Did you spot the new element on this card? The Queen has just introduced Happy Stixx to her stash of goodies in the Castle, these are small lolly sticks with sentiments etched into them - such a great idea! I distressed the Happy Birthday Stixx with 'stormy skies' TH distress ink and I was really happy with the result. To finish off I punched out some fronds with a Martha Stewart punch from the black card and added these and some black flat back beads to the end of the Stixx - I think these fronds look a lot like seaweed and are perfect to use with the wonderful WIS Mermaids.

Thanks so much for dropping by today, hope you enjoyed your visit. Do come back again soon, I love to see you :o)

A couple of very good friends of ours will be celebrating their Ruby (40th) Wedding Anniversary next weekend. They are having a big party, organised by their children, and all their family and friends are invited. Sadly, we won't be able to join them in the celebration as we shall be away from home then.

I decided to create a special card to give to them - along with a nice bottle of 'Bubbly' - with a huge apology for missing their special day.

Unlike my regular projects, there is very little colouring on this card, just the tiny hearts and ribbons in the oval garland which frames the Happy Anniversary sentiment. After colouring these with Promarkers, I added Glossy Accents to the hearts to give them a little texture. I covered the top layer with some red patterned paper that I had in my stash, before cutting out an oval aperture with a nestabilities die to reveal the garland and message on the bottom layer. I used the same oval die and a slightly larger scalloped oval die to create a frame from a piece of glossy red card. The top layer was added using silicone glue to raise it up a little over the sentiment layer.

These delicious flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and I punched the fronds from white card with a Martha Steward punch before colouring them with Promarkers and attaching them under the flowers. Finally these red heart shaped gems were attached to the corners and under the sentiment, as a finishing touch.

Thanks for taking the time to drop by today, I hope you've enjoyed seeing this special card.

Friday, 2 July 2010

Well, the weekend's finally here!! Hope you are enjoying yours and have lots of great things planned.

Over on Craftbubble, last week's Let's Get Stamping sketchie challenge provided us with a sketch and the theme of 'Tutti Frutti' for our entries. Coincidentally, the theme for challenge #119 this week on Cute Cards Thursday is 'Let's Get Fruity' - soooo..... I can enter two challenges with one card - result!

I decided to use this adorable Magnolia stamp called 'Peachy Tilda'. I also used a couple of magnolia flower stamps to create a bit of a scene for the main image, created with the masking technique. I coloured Tilda, her peaches and flowers with Copics and Promarkers and added touches of Spica Glitter pen and Stardust Stickles. The flowers were punched from a scrap of the background paper with a Martha Stewart punch and gems added to the centres before attaching with silicone glue to create layers. The butterfly was cut with a MS punch with Stickles added and the leaf fronds also cut with a MS punch. The background papers are from the new Henbury Lane range by Papermania.

Just a quick post today as I have lots of DT work to get done before I go on my hols to Spain. We are off out to a friend's 60th Birthday Party tomorrow evening and I wanted to make him a special card but not one of the usual type with a big 60 on the front!! I think he'll like it and particularly appreciate that it was created especially for him!

I used this lovely Popcorn Bear Party Time stamp set from Crafters' Companion. It is a very big stamp so I made a slightly larger card than I usually do. He's coloured with ProMarkers with some Glossy Accents added to the ribbons, his eyes and nose. As the image is so big, not much of the background papers show, these are from the new Hampstead pack by Papermania. I cut out a few flowers with Marianne Designs dies from white card which I then coloured with Promarkers to exactly match the colours I used on the image. I layered these up and finished with a gold half bead. A little faux stitching around the edges of the image layer and that was the card finished! This week on Just Cute Bears challenge #23 has an open theme and allows us to do anything we want on our projects so long as we have a cute bear on it - I think this card fits the bill nicely, so I shall be entering it this week.

That's it from me today, Tilly is asking to go out for walkies so we are off out into the fresh air for a while. Thanks for visiting, I do hope you'll come back again soon.

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All projects published on my blog are copyright to me - I am happy to share my designs here in the hope that they may inspire you to develop your own ideas. However please respect my right not to have my designs copied or "lifted" or entered for publication, competitions, etc. Direct copying of any design shown on this blog is an infringement of copyright.